What Does Pneumonia Look Like?

In some instances, people experience complications, such as abscesses or fluid building up around the lungs.

In extreme cases, pneumonia can be deadly. In fact, the infection is responsible for more deaths worldwide than any other infectious disease.

In the United States, pneumonia and the flu rank as the ninth-leading causes of death.

Who's at Risk for Pneumonia?

Young children and people older than 65 are the most vulnerable to pneumonia.

"Anyone with asthma or another underlying lung disease, such as cystic fibrosis and COPD, are also generally at much higher risk," noted Stephanie Powers, MD, a family medicine physician at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

"Smokers and anyone with conditions that weaken the immune system, such as HIV or cancer, are also at much higher risk for pneumonia, regardless of their age," Dr. Powers said.

The condition is also more likely to afflict men and African Americans, she said.

"The majority of the germs that cause pneumonia are spread from person to person through droplets from coughing or talking," she added.

So people who are frequently in close contact with others — such as college students and military personnel — are also more susceptible to the disease.

What Are the Types of Pneumonia?

The severity of the infection depends on many factors, including your age and overall health.

Community-acquired pneumonia is the illness’ most common form and occurs outside of hospitals, nursing homes, or other health care settings. Several types of germs can cause community-acquired pneumonia, including:

Bacteria:Bacterial pneumonia is usually more serious than other types and is more common among adults. Atypical pneumonia, often called walking pneumonia, is a milder form of community-acquired pneumonia. "Depending on how sick you are and whether or not you have any other health conditions, people with bacterial pneumonia are treated with antibiotics either at home or in the hospital," Powers said.

Viruses: Viruses, particularly the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are the most common cause of pneumonia in children younger than 2 years old. Although viral pneumonia is generally less severe than bacterial pneumonia, those caused by certain flu viruses, such as sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), can be very serious. "In cases of viral pneumonia, people can get really sick, and antibiotics don't work at all," Powers said. "We treat fevers and cough, and push fluids. Sometimes even those with viral pneumonia need to be hospitalized."

Fungi: Fungal pneumonia is most common in people with an underlying health problem or a weakened immune system, including those with HIV/AIDS and people undergoing treatment for cancer. It's treated with antibiotic or antifungal medication. Pneumonia that develops in people with a weakened immune system is often referred to as opportunistic pneumonia.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia, as the name suggests, develops during a hospital stay for a different health problem.

People who are on machines to help them breathe are particularly prone to developing hospital-acquired pneumonia.

Healthcare-associated pneumonia is the kind of infection that develops in someone being cared for in a healthcare facility.

"Separate from community-acquired pneumonia, there is a subset of super high-risk patients who are in nursing homes or other healthcare facilities," Powers said.

In fact, 2.3 percent of all nursing home residents were diagnosed with healthcare-associated pneumonia in 2010.

Aspiration pneumonia can develop after a person inhales food, liquid, gases, or dust. People who have gag reflex problems are especially susceptible to this type of infection.

Can Pneumonia Be Prevented?

Because pneumonia can develop after a case of the flu, getting the seasonal flu shot can help prevent it.

The pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine is also recommended for adults 65 or older, children younger than 5, and anyone with a chronic disease, such as asthma, cancer, or HIV/AIDS.

Anyone who smokes should also be immunized against pneumonia.

Other steps you can take to help protect yourself against the illness include:

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